This topic triggers something innate in us that we all felt as children, a sense of exploration and awe at the universe, which we may be guilty of burying as we grow older.
A super moon and a blood moon was enough to bring millions out of their beds, cars, houses and offices, away from the intricate, niggling, complex qualms and quizzes of modern life. The moon, as if with all of the might of mother nature's hand, clicked pause on life for so many, brought much of humanity to it's knees and simply said - look up.
NASA's press conference yesterday took over most major news networks and rendered political squabbles irrelevant among the bigger picture of planetary exploration. A downpour of perspective flooded the intelligent masses as we learned of the presence of liquid water on the red planet. I was transfixed and I know I wasn't the only one, what is that internal alarm that freezes everything and sets our curiosity alight? Can that emotion be evoked in a commercial context?
For me it is evidence that questions about life itself, our existence and exploration into the universe are what our minds still crave. It's a burning desire for information which our specie has cradled since our inception. To most people these things matter beneath the surface but for me they are an integral piece in the orchestra that my mind conducts on a daily basis - perhaps, this is why I have found it difficult to pledge real allegiance to a 9-5, 8-6 or an 11-11 (which I have done). I am self employed now and it gives me the time to ponder these perplexities, and I feel comfortable. Content.
'The bigger picture' then, is perhaps what I am asking you as an employer, a manager and a business owner to take into consideration. I strongly believe you will notice a spike in productivity and commitment to the cause as your echelons of employees achieve true fulfilment in the workplace.
Why not seriously think about your employee's well-being and personal ambitions. You have interviewed them, plucked their attributes from them but have you really shown any interest in what makes them tick as people - what really matters to them? I don't think clock in, clock out, leave your worries at the door works any more nor is it sustainable in 2015 and beyond.
When was the last time you joyfully sacrificed hours of personal time, even lost sleep to show commitment for your boss or employer? If they dissolved the wall between your personal self and your professional self, would you be more willing to run through walls for your company? It is an experiment I would suggest is worth undertaking for most managers.